The Oyo State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its efforts to rid the state of violent criminals with the arrest of two suspected armed robbers and the recovery of a firearm alleged to have been used during a robbery operation along the Oyo–Iwo Expressway.
According to a statement released by DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the command's spokesperson, the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, 2026, after the Police Control Room at Eleyele received a distress call reporting that armed robbers had blocked the highway around Akoda Village in Afijio Local Government Area.
The attackers reportedly robbed motorists and passengers travelling from a nearby market towards Iwo town, dispossessing them of their valuables. Some victims sustained machete injuries during the attack, while others were subjected to other violent acts.
Ayanlade stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, immediately directed operatives of the Command's Violent Crime Response Unit to respond to the incident. Operatives responded swiftly, secured the area, rescued the victims, and combed the scene, leading to the recovery of one single-barrel gun and two clubs believed to have been used by the criminal gang during the operation.
Further intelligence-driven investigation led the VCRU operatives to the hideouts of the suspects, culminating in the arrest of Abubakar Jape and Sheu Dengi. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the robbery operation. An identification parade was subsequently conducted, during which the victims positively identified them as some of the armed robbers who attacked and robbed them.
A search conducted at one of their hideouts also led to the recovery of a rechargeable touchlight belonging to one of the victims.
The Oyo–Iwo Expressway serves as a major route linking communities in Oyo State with neighbouring Osun State and has witnessed occasional incidents of highway robbery, particularly during early morning and late-night hours. Security agencies have intensified patrols and intelligence operations along the corridor in recent months as part of broader efforts to curb violent crime and improve safety for motorists and traders using the route.
CP Abimbola Olugbenga commended the professionalism and prompt response of the operatives, describing the arrest as evidence of the command's determination to tackle violent crime in the state. He assured residents that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang still at large and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
Key Facts
• The incident occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026, along the Oyo–Iwo Expressway in Afijio Local Government Area. • The attackers robbed motorists and passengers, dispossessing them of their valuables and leaving some victims with machete injuries. • Operatives recovered one single-barrel gun and two clubs believed to have been used by the criminal gang during the operation. • Abubakar Jape and Sheu Dengi were arrested after a search of their hideouts and an identification parade. • The suspects confessed to their involvement in the robbery operation during interrogation.